Gauchos Shutout in Opener at Northridge

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -
Despite eight hits against a Cal State Northridge team that entered the weekend series with a collective ERA near 6.00, the UC Santa Barbara baseball team was unable to scratch out any runs and fell 4-0 to the Matadors on Friday. It was the first time UCSB was shut out this season.

The Gauchos, who had not been shut out since May 14, 2010 at UC Irvine, fall to 19-20 overall and 5-8 in the Big West. Cal State Northridge improves to 19-25, 2-11.

All four runs that CSUN scored on Friday at Matador Field were unearned as the Matadors took advantage of two Gaucho errors. Matadors center fielder Drew Muren drove in the winning run in the sixth inning and threw out a runner at the plate in the eighth inning to preserve the shutout.

UCSB's Greg Davis pitched seven solid innings, allowing two runs - unearned - on four hits while walking three and striking out one. However his offense stranded eight runners on base, including putting the leadoff man on in the first two frames. UCSB had runners on base in every inning.

Ridge Carpenter led off the sixth inning with a grounder that bounded off of UCSB second baseman Sean William's chest for an error, was sacrificed to second base and scored on Muren's one-out hit.

In the eighth, Williams worked a two-out walk and Mark Haddow reached on an infield single. Trevor Whyte then laced a ball to center field and Muren's strong throw home beat Williams, who was tagged out at the plate.

CSUN scored three unearned runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.